Lawn edger



May 2l, 1935. x H, 1 PETTEYS- 2,001,921

LAWN EDGER Filed Aug. 26, 1932 Patented May 21, 1935 invention r lates to lawn edgers and has for its objectto provide an edger of simple and relatively inexpensive construction, capable of making a clean vertical cut along the edge of a 5 lawn bordering a flower bed, side walk, or the like, without leaving uncut sod overhanging the cut shoulder, capable of cutting a smooth, vertical sided trench of limited width, in an unbroken Vsoddeci surface, provided with means 10 to facilitate the travel of the device, possessed of novel adjustable means for determining the depth of cut, and so constructed that .the resistance of the sod being cut to the `passage of the blade of the device therethrough, will produce a minimum side draft in the blade.

With these and other objects in view my invenf tion consists in the combination and construction andV arrangement of the various parts thereof, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as 20 more fully set forth in the accompanying specications, 'pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the device, a strip of sod Vbeing operated upon, being shown in section. v. Y

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the other side of the device, and

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the device in opera- 30 tion upon a shouldered edge o f a lawn.

I provide a handle shaft I on the lower end of which is mounted a roller bracket I I. A socket I2, part of the bracket II, receives-the shaft I 0 and is secured thereto by bolts or pins I3, I4 extending therethrough.

' A slot in the handle shaft l0 receives the upper end of a blade I6, the forward or cutting edge of which is inclined downwardly and rearwardly (toward the rear'end of the handle shaft). The 40 bolts I3, I4 extend through the blade I6 and serve to attach it to the handle shaft. The lower end of the blade is bent, along a line I8, forming an angle of about 140 with the edge Il, to form an extension I 9, lying perpendicular to the plane r of the blade I6. The latter plane intersects the handle shaft axis.

The bracket I I comprises two spaced arms between which is journalled the forward ground roller 20. The diameter of the latter is substan- 59 tially 1%. The axis of the roller I9V is perpendicular 4to the plane of blade I6. The bracket II is offset toward the right, as viewed from behind, so as to position the roller to the right of the vertical plane of the blade I6. The extension I9 55 lies on the left side of said plane.

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4The rear wheel 2 I, li-ournalled an arm 22, pivoted on the bolt I4, and extended therebeyond as at 23. A link 24 is pivoted at one end as at 25 to the extended arm portion 23, and secured to the handle shaft I 0 by means of a thumb nut 26, threaded upon a bolt 21, secured inthe handle shaft and extended through a slot 28 in the link 24.

By shifting the link 24 the angle of the armr22 may be varied and the position of the roller 2I relative to the handle may be varied in such a way as to allow the device to ride on the two rollers at any of a plurality of various positions of angularity between the handle shaft and the ground, thereby varying the depth at which the blade I6, I3, will cut.

In using the device, the handle shaft is grasped in the two hands of the operator and the tool is pushed forwardly along a shouldered lawn edge 30 to be trimmed, (Fig. 4) the blade IB depending vertically, the rollers 20, 2|, travelling along the surface of the sod adjacent the edge, and the I extension I9 travelling along the bottom of Vthe trench or unsodded portion of the ground adjacent the shouldered edge 30.

The inclination of the edge Il is such that the blade I6 will slice downwardly, making a clean cut at the surface, and leaving no overhanging fringe of grasses and rootlets, such as occurs in devices that employ a vertical or rearwardly and upwardly inclined edge.

The blade I6 is relatively narrow and is supported from above so that only the slight resistance of the lower end of the blade to travel through the sod, need be overcome in pushing the device.

The two wheels determine the depth of cut so the operator may bear down without fear of varying the depth of cut.

The space behind the portion of the blade that enters the soil is clear so that an extended cut may be made in an unbroken stretch of sod without difficulty and without breaking the sod above the extension I9 except for the plane of cleavage of the blade I6 (as indicated by line 3|, Fig. 2.) The operator may then lift the blade from the soil, reverse the instrument,` and cut along a line 32 parallel to the cut 3l and spaced therefrom the width of blade extension I9, whereby a continuous ribbon of sod 33 may be removed, leaving a trench with clean cut sides and bottom. The ability to remove the ribbon 33 in unbroken form,

makes for a clean operation with no loose par-` ticles of soil to be cleaned up. This operation is particularly useful in trenching along a sidewalk where the sod has previously been allowed to grow up to the edge of the walk. It is also useful in laying out flower beds, etc.

The small diameter of the roller 20 cuts the side draft on the blade I6 to a minimum, by bringing the line of contact between the rollerand the ground almost into intersection with the 'axis of the handle shaft. The length of the roller 20 being greater than its diameter, downward pressure on thehandle rwill serve to avoid tilting .of the device under side draft .from the blade.

I claim as my invention: n Y

1. In a lawn edger, a handle shaft, a roller journalled on the forward end thereof, ablade depending from the shaft parallel to the plane of the shaft axis and perpendicular to the axis of the roller, said blade having a forward cutting edge, a rear roller mounted below the handle shaft and rearwardly of said forward roller, anv

arm on the end of which said rear roller is mounted, said arm being pivoted intermediate its ends on the shaft, a link pivoted to the other end of the arm, and an adjustable connection between said link and the shaft, said arm extending downwardly and rearwardly and said link movable longitudinally alongside said handle.

2. In a lawn edger, a handle shaft the lower end of which has an axial slot, a blade received in said slot and projecting downwardly, roller bracket means in engagement with the lower end portions of. the shaft, securing elements extending through said lower end portions of the shaft, through said blade, and through said bracket means, 4and a roller mounted in said bracket means forwardly of the .shaft on an axis perpendicular to the plane of said blade and offset laterally of saidplane so that one end of the roller substantially coincides with said plane.

HOWARD LESTER PETTEYS. 

